Cribbage board



Sept. 20, 1949. Y L. L. COLON I 4 2,482,247

CRIBBAGE BOARD Filed 00'0- ll, 1947 J9 mmvrox.

' Leroy Z. C0Z07z, BY I Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v CRIBBAGE BOARD I 'Leroy L. Colon, Elmwood Park, Ill. Application atar 11, 1947, Serial No. 779,347

This invention pertains to a novel. cribbage board or like game counting device wherein a tally of the score of twoor more players is kept by advancing pegs bodily along a predetermined pegging course.

An objectionable feature which is characteristic of conventional cribbage counting devices resides in the fact that the players are likely to become confused as to the correct position. of their pegs as the pegging progresses along the course of 120 holes employed in the game of cribbage. This arises from the fact that in conventional boards the courseis subdivided into two rows of 30 holes each, requiring that each row be pegged twice for a complete game. Consequently, there is a likelihood of a players mistaking the number of times he has pegged a row, or the direction of pegging, or of becomingconfused in some other manner. I am aware thatefiorts have been made to evolve a counting device which eliminates these objections; however, to my knowledge, all such devices not only fail to accomplish their object but in many cases are additionally objectionable by reason of being relatively expensive, complicated or impractical in other respects.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive cribbage counter board or device wherein the; course of. pegging holes for each of two or more playersis arranged in a single, continuous series, enabling each player to peg uninterruptedly from the beginning to the end of the course without repetition or reversal of the series of pegging operations.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing type wherein the aforesaid series or rows of pegging holes are each arranged in a continuous, unidirectional, upwardly spiraling path along a continuous, progressively rising and spirally contering track or land, terminating at the uppermost point of the structure in a single finish hole, wherein the winning player deposits his final peg.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive pegging device which is well suited to molding from a suitable plastic or like material, said device being contoured to afiord a continuous, upwardly and inwardly spiraling track, way or land provided with parallel, similarly spiraling rows of peggin holes subdivided into groups of five, the

6 Claims. (Cl. 235-90) arrangement being such that a pegging course is pursued in a given single direction along said track until the entire series of 120 holes has been finally pegged out at a substantially central and elevated point or station provided with a single winning pe hole.

Yet another object is to provide a device of the foregoing nature which is well adapted by its upwardly spiraling, generally conical shape to be fabricated in a hollow sectional outline for the internal reception of playing cards, pegs and the like.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a cribbage board or counter device fabricated in accordance with the principal of the present invention, showing the device in position for pegging, with players pegsv inserted in the holes thereof;

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the hollow interior of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical transverse section on a line generally corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the cribbage board or counter device of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral l0. It may be cast from metal, fabricated of Wood or readily molded from any of a large variety of suitable well-known plastic compositions available on the market in many attractive colors. The device is of a generally circular external outline and is molded to provide a spiral track, way or land ll of uniform width. This track commences at a point on one external or peripheral and lower side of the device and spirals uniformly inwardly and upwardly in a counterclockwise direction, from a starting point denoted l2 to a finish point I3, at which the track terminates in a raised dome-like contour. The continual but gradual upward rise of the spiraling track H results in a uniformly upwardly and radially inwardly stepped spacing of opposed portions of the track when the device is viewed in section, as in Fig. 3.

At the starting point 12 the track II is provided with radially spaced pairs of aligned storage holes l4 wherein the two pegs l8 employed by each player may be received at or prior to commencement of pegging. Parallel spiraling rows of pegging holes l5 succeed and are aligned with the storage holes M, the holes 15 progressing counterclockwise upwardly in conformity with the shape of the track II. In accordance with conventional cribbage board practice, the two rows of parallel pegging holes are each subdivided into 24 groups of five. In use, pegging is continued by the players, starting at I2, until the winning score is made, whereupon the winning player deposits his final peg in the single winning hole l5 at the central finish point l3 at the top of the device. This completes the game.

For the purpose of accommodating a deck of playing cards, designated by the reference numeral l7, and pegs [8, the device of the invention preferably is molded in a hollow outline, affording a space 19 of substantial volume in its interior for the reception of these or other articles. If desired, a releasable cover may also be provided for this cavity in a manner which will suggest itself.

In using the foregoing counting device, the players, in progressing their pegs spirally upwardly, each along his individual row of pegging holes, are enabled to tell at a glance who is ahead and by exactly how much. It is unnecessary for each player to keep in mind how many passes have been made by himself or his opponent over a pegging course, or their direction. Moreover, during the progress of the game a definite, invisible goal is afforded, in the form of the winning hole I6 at the peak or apex of the board, thereby furthering a competitive interest in the game. Obviously, more than two rows of spiraling pegging holes may be provided in the track, thereby accommodating more players, without in any way adding to the complexity of the device or its use.

The present counter is simple, attractive of appearance and inexpensively produced. It definitely eliminates the sources of the arguments which inevitably and continually spring up in the use of standard known counting devices.

I claim:

1. A Cribbage counter device comprising a one-piece structure having a substantially continuous track surface spiraling radially and vertically between laterally and vertically spaced starting and finish zones, and rows of pegging holes on said surface extending in longitudinally spaced succession therealong.

2. A cribbage counter device comprising a onepiece structure having a substantially continuous track surface spiraling radially and vertically between laterally and vertically spaced starting Number and finish zones, rows of pegging holes on said surface extending in longitudinally spaced succession therealong. and a single winning hole in said finish zone for the reception of the final peg of the winning player.

3. A crlbbage counter device comprising a onepiece structure of generally circular outline having a substantially continuous track surface spiraling radially inwardly and upwardly from a starting point to a finish zone, and parallel rows of pegging holes on said surface arranged in longitudinally spaced succession therealong.

4. A cribbage counter device comprising a onepiece structure of genera1ly=circularoutline having a substantially continuous track surface spiraling radially inwardly and upwardly from a starting point to a finish zone, parallel rows of pegging holes on said surface arranged in longitudinally spaced succession therealong, and a single winning hole in said finish zone for the reception of the final peg of the winning player.

5. Acribba'ge-counter device comprising a onepiece structure of hollow, generally circular, stepped conical outline having a continuous track surface spiraling radially and vertically between radially and vertically spaced starting and finish points, and parallel spiraling rows of longitudinally spaced pegging holes on said surface.

6. A cribba'ge'counter device comprising a onepiece structure of hollow, generally circular, stepped conica'lou'tline having a continuous track surface spiraling radially and vertically between radially and vertically spaced starting and finish points, and parallel spiraling rows of longitudina'lly spaced pegging holes on said surface, the interior "of said structure being hollow to afford a storage space of substantial size.

LEROY L. COLON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dieringer et al. Aug. 25, 1903 Fachmann Oct. 4, 1910 Barker Jan. 18, 1916 Culver Oct. 25, 1921 Boland Dec. 30, 1940 Jemne July 2, 1942 OTHER. REFERENCES Brooks Cribbage Board, illustrated on page 82 of Geyers'Topie's,''of August 1944. 

